Hefty fine for forest service payment violations

Updated: 09:26’ - 05/05/2015

From June 20, environmental service users will be fined up to VND 50 million (USD 2,300) for not paying service fees.

Such is provided in a decree amending Government Decree No. 157/2013/ND-CP of November 11, 2013, regulating sanctioning of administrative violations in forest management, development and protection and forest product management.

Users of forest environmental services will be fined up to VND 50 million for not paying service fees__Photo: VNA

According to Decree No. 40/2015/ND-CP, users of forest environmental services who fail to sign contracts with forest owners providing such services in case of direct payment, or with provincial forest protection and development funds in case of indirect payment, will be fined from VND 500,000 to VND 1 million and from VND 10 million to VND 20 million, respectively. A fine of between VND 40-50 million will be imposed on users that fail to sign contracts with the Vietnam Forest Protection and Development Fund. Users of forest environmental services will also be fined up to VND 50 million for failing to make up a list of payment for such services.

Also regulated in the Decree, organizations owning forests allocated by the State will be imposed a fine from VND 200,000 to VND 50 million for failing to pay or fully and timely pay the money collected from forest environmental services to individuals that have concluded contracts on forest protection with forest owners.-